Joel Bitonio: Browns offensive line is still learning how to block for Deshaun Watson

BEREA — Joel Bitonio has blocked for a lot of quarterbacks since he was drafted by the Browns in 2014. That makes him an expert of sorts to judge the position.

What the Browns All-Pro left guard was asked during minicamp this week was about quarterback mobility, and specifically if current starter Deshaun Watson was the most mobile quarterback he's blocked for in his career.

"I don't know," Bitonio deadpanned. "(Brian) Hoyer was pretty fast."

Even Bitonio couldn't keep a straight face as he tried to get through that answer. That's because, even with just six games together, he's learned fast enough about Watson's speed and elusiveness.

It's more of the latter than the former that caused Browns offensive linemen issues during their first year blocking for Watson. It's not like Bitonio has to run step for step with the quarterback if he gets loose on a long run.

However, when Watson is extending plays with his legs, those linemen have to find a way to hold their blocks for longer than usual. It's his unique talent, and one those blocking for him are still adjusting to as they concluded the offseason program with Thursday's final minicamp day.

“I think besides mobility, it's really like where they set up in the pocket, you know what I mean? Bitonio said. "How he sets up in the pocket, how long you hold the ball for. The mobility's always a bonus. I mean, anytime ... you saw him last year, he did move around the pocket, and there was times where he broke tackles that were sacks and made big runs for us."

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There were a handful of times those plays were made during Watson's six starts. The most notable came at the Washington Commanders in Week 17 when he helped rally the Browns in the second half for a 24-10 win.

Watson had a dismal first half in which he was just 3-of-8 passing for 23 yards and was sacked four times. In the second half, though, he completed 6 of 10 passes for 146 yards and three touchdowns, was sacked just once and rushed for 31 yards on six carries.

However, those legs also led to multiple cases in which Browns linemen found themselves flagged for holding because of Watson's scrambling. That's one of the biggest technical lessons they've learned from their short time together with him in regular-season games.

"We just got to stay in front of our man, and as simple as that may sound we have to go and block for a long time because we know Deshaun can make big plays late," Browns assistant offensive line coach Scott Peters said Thursday. "So just being able to block forever and understand that there's that moment when if he leaves the pocket that we got to move our feet, we can't get caught where your hands are outside the frame.

"So just kind of discipline with the hands and maintaining blocks and finishing forever and just kind of stand in front of your man. As simple as that sounds, it's not always as easy as it sounds."

The fact this is Watson's second season with the Browns doesn't mean the quarterback and linemen are a full year into getting to know each other. Last offseason and training camp were both conducted with an air of doubt hanging over everything due to his NFL suspension because of the more than two dozen allegations of sexual assault and sexual misconduct during massage appointments while with the Houston Texans.

Ultimately, Watson's suspension was settled at 11 games. He wasn't allowed in the team facility from Aug. 31 until Oct. 10, and not allowed to so much as practice until Nov. 28.

When Watson finally returned to game action on Dec. 4 at Houston, it had been 700 days between regular-season starts for him — and only a couple of weeks worth of practices to prepare, and for his own teammates to prepare for him.

"Even when he was here for last year's training camp, you take 10, 11 weeks off in the season, you work with another guy like (then-backup) Jacoby (Brissett), it's a different world for him," Bitonio said. "So I think there's time. I think timing with the receivers, all that stuff adds into protection and stuff.

"It all works together. There's 11 guys on the field, and so I think there's a lot of things you can work on here, but I think training camp's when it really gets ramped up, when you have guys flying in front and having to move in the pocket a little bit."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Joel Bitonio still trying to learn how to block for Deshaun Watson